Streetsboro hires former Cuyahoga Falls economic development director

Streetsboro Mayor Glenn Broska announced March 11 the hire of longtime Cuyahoga Falls Community Development Director Susan Truby for the vacant economic development director post in Streetsboro.

According to a news release from the Streetsboro Department of Human Resources, Truby, who served from 1985 to 2013 in Cuyahoga Falls under former Mayor Don Robart, will officially begin in Streetsboro on March 17.

“We look forward to working with Susan, and we value her local industry knowledge and relationships,” said Broska. “I’m glad we were able to get someone of her caliber with a proven track record of success.”

Truby’s salary in her new position in Streetsboro will be $85,000. She replaces Bill Bishilany, whose salary was $84,000.

Bishilany will become the chief of staff for the Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities Agency in Columbus, working for director Kevin Miller.

Broska said the city received about a half dozen resumes for the economic development director position, and Truby’s resume was “head and shoulders above the rest.”

Truby said she sees similarities between Broska and her former boss.

“He was similar to Mayor Robart, who I worked for before,” she said March 12. “It’s exciting to work for a mayor who has a vision for his community, and if I can work as part of a team to help bring that vision to fruition, that would be exciting.”

Working in Streetsboro also excites her, she said.

“Streetsboro is a very vibrant community with a lot of economic development potential,” she said.

Broska cited Truby’s “lengthy” experience in economic development at the municipal level as a factor in her hire. Her familiarity with the state officials involved in economic development and the types of incentives available to companies will help ease her transition into the job, he said.

In Cuyahoga Falls, Truby helped lead development of Falls River Square and Prospect High Bridge Glen Park while retaining existing businesses and bringing in new companies, resulting in more than 2,500 new jobs, according to the news release.

Truby also served on the Cuyahoga Falls Community Improvement Corp., the Cuyahoga Falls Chamber of Commerce and chaired the fundraising committee for the Cuyahoga Falls Bicentennial.

Truby was one of several department heads that new Cuyahoga Falls Mayor Don Walters did not retain, including the finance, service and law directors.